UN committee slams US sanctions on Albanese
7/11/2025 12:57:00 PM
The UN’s Coordination Committee of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council has “strongly condemned” the US Government’s sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“These are not only sanctions against one independent human rights expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council,” it said.
“Rather, they reflect the continued assault of the current US administration on the entire UN system and its core values of human rights, justice, accountability and the rule of law,” the committee said in a statement.
The committee pointed out that Albanese has only been discharging her mandate given by the Human Rights Council, which specifically requests the special rapporteur to investigate Israel’s violations.
It added: “We applaud the courage of Francesca Albanese in speaking truth to power and stand in solidarity with her.”
Albanese has long criticised Israeli treatment of the Palestinians, and this month published a report accusing at least 60 companies, including some US firms, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for work which had prompted what he claimed were illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.
“These are not only sanctions against one independent human rights expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council,” it said.
“Rather, they reflect the continued assault of the current US administration on the entire UN system and its core values of human rights, justice, accountability and the rule of law,” the committee said in a statement.
The committee pointed out that Albanese has only been discharging her mandate given by the Human Rights Council, which specifically requests the special rapporteur to investigate Israel’s violations.
It added: “We applaud the courage of Francesca Albanese in speaking truth to power and stand in solidarity with her.”
Albanese has long criticised Israeli treatment of the Palestinians, and this month published a report accusing at least 60 companies, including some US firms, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for work which had prompted what he claimed were illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.